


the mistletoe began it

by barbatoslatte



Category: Warriors Orochi
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Homophobia (unfortunately), M/M, One (1) Holiday Setting, i self-projected a LITTLE at one point, i was making up this entire thing during math class bc i'm a VERY good student
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:00:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26890288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbatoslatte/pseuds/barbatoslatte
Summary: "I caught you under the mistletoe."Ares felt his face start to heat up, and he managed to spit out, "Athena, that is— that is not something publ—""Nope, you have to do it. It's law now.""You don't make laws, you—""Oh, shut your mouth, idiot," Loki teased gently, and he pressed a kiss to Ares' lips, which promptly made Ares' face burn. "Aw, how cute. You're embarrassed.""I am not embarrassed! You caught me off guard!"
Relationships: Ares/Loki (Warriors Orochi)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	the mistletoe began it

**Author's Note:**

> guess what yall i decided this oneshot that i thought of at school deserved an entire new work congrats how fabulous 
> 
> also apparently i can't spell mistletoe without googling "how to spell mistilietoe"

**1 - Mistletoe**

The holiday season had arrived, and for once Ares wasn't upset about it. 

_That's so strange,_ his inner voice told him as he drove home from work. _Holidays are just an excuse for families to pile up in one house and bicker._

But this would be different.

It would be the first time he and Loki would be together. 

Normally, Ares would spend time at some relative's house (usually his sister's) while Loki stayed at home. (He was always allowed to come, but insisted that he didn't want to ruin Ares' family time.)

_"You ARE family," Ares argued one time, but Loki shook his head and smiled._

_"Only by marriage. Besides, it's perfectly fine to be alone at home, here."_

This year, however, Ares decided to invite his family to stay with _him,_ so Loki had no excuse not to be alone. It proved to be a lot of work, to get ready for Ares' family (which included his grandmother, his father, his uncle Hades, his sister, and his half-brother Perseus. None of them had even met Loki yet), but Loki was able to do most of the preparation. He looked fatigued nearly all the time, but also was never without a smile on his face. Perhaps it was the fact that he would spend the holidays, a time for families to get together, with an actual family. As far as Ares knew, Loki didn't have much of a family to speak of. 

Ares opened the door to his house and was instantly tackled into a hug by Perseus, who, although small, was quite strong. 

"Perseus, don't kill me before I step one foot in the door!" he grunted, although he did hug Perseus back. He was trying to be a little closer to Perseus, but due to their constant separation and the fact that Perseus was so much younger, it was difficult. He stayed with Athena most of the time, and Athena lived far away. 

"Sorry, sorry," Perseus said, grinning. "I met Loki today, and he's so nice! He gave me candy!" He waved around a small wrapped candy, which appeared to be a Jolly Rancher.

"He's going to spoil you at every chance he gets, you know that?"

"As long as there's more candy for me." Perseus popped the Jolly Rancher into his mouth and promptly left Ares on the porch. Loki happened to round the corner as Perseus disappeared and helped Ares stand up. 

"He's a little wild now. I shouldn't have given him that bag of Jolly Ranchers as a present," Loki smiled. "Come inside, they've been waiting for a while now. Unless you plan to spend the night on the porch."

"I do not. How are you feeling?" Ares asked as he followed Loki inside. "I know a lot of people isn't really your thing—"

"Oh no, it's lovely!" Loki said. His eyes shone with excitement. It was really quite cute. "Your family is so nice! Well, your sister is a little intimidating, but I suppose it runs in the family, doesn't it?" 

The two of them entered the living room, where everyone was hanging out together (and for once, not arguing about something). Gaia and Athena were sitting on the couch, Hades was chasing Perseus around the room, both of them laughing about something, and Zeus was pouring himself a drink. 

"Hey, it's Ares!" Hades exclaimed, skidding to a sudden halt and making a high-pitched screeching sound on the hardwood floor. "Still just as grumpy-looking as ever, isn't he?"

"You're still just as shirtless as ever," Ares retorted. Hades looked like he was going to reply until Perseus barreled into him, making him double over. "Hey, I'm going to get you for that! I'll ruffle your hair until it's messier than mine!"

"You won't get me!" Perseus shrieked gleefully, running over to Gaia and instantly taking on a pitiful expression. "Grandma, protect me from Uncle. He's mean."

"You're like this every year, dear. You don't need my protection. Ares, you and Loki can protect Perseus this time."

Ares looked to Loki, who just shrugged and was about to move towards Ares' little brother when Athena suddenly pointed above them and said, "I caught you under the mistletoe."

Both of them looked up, where a piece of mistletoe was taped to the ceiling. Ares felt his face start to heat up, and he managed to spit out, "Athena, that is— that is not something publ—"

"Nope, you have to do it. It's law now."

"You don't make laws, you—"

"Oh, shut your mouth, idiot," Loki teased gently, and he pressed a kiss to Ares' lips, which promptly made Ares' face burn. "Aw, how cute. You're embarrassed."

"I am _not_ embarrassed! You caught me off guard!" 

**2 - Goodnight**

Ares was one of those people who scrolled through his phone at ungodly hours into the night, even if Loki was sleeping right next to him. It did explain why he was tired all the time, but did he stop doing it?

No.

Unless Loki asked him to, because Ares (although he would never admit it) was totally whipped. 

Currently, it was 2 am, and Ares was laying in bed, on his phone, while Loki slept. Or tried to sleep. Ares couldn't tell if Loki was trying to sleep or just having a fitful dream, because Loki was twisting and turning in bed. 

"Love, go to sleep..." Loki's voice was slightly clogged with sleep as he waved a hand in front of Ares' phone screen. "You'll be so sleepy tomorrow morning."

"In a minute."

Loki grabbed the phone out of Ares' hands and hid it under the pillow. 

"Now."

Ares sighed and rolled over onto his side. In the dark, he could vaguely make out Loki's head, since the rest of him was huddled underneath the bed covers. His light blue hair was quite messy and definitely not a hairstyle Loki would approve of, but Ares liked it that way. It was cute. Loki was just cute, he decided. That was it. 

He felt a hand cup his face and heard Loki shift a little closer to him, planting a kiss on his chin. 

"Please sleep, love," he heard Loki whisper. "Your phone is too bright, and you have to get up early."

Loki nuzzled his face against the crook of Ares' neck, and Ares soon heard his soft snores. Ares smiled.

Loki really was cute. 

**3 - Jealousy**

Loki and Ares had gone out to shop for a few things together at the mall, which quickly turned into a "buy things we don't really need but we're getting them anyway because they look cute on the store shelves" kind of shopping trip. Ares was waiting outside a jewelry store (Loki _insisted_ that he needed the shining turquoise earrings in the display window, despite the fact that he hadn't worn earrings in any color other than black or blue in years) when a woman that couldn't have been much older than him walked up to him. 

"Hey cutie, what are you waiting here for, all by yourself?" she asked casually. 

Ares jerked his thumb towards Loki, who was currently at the cash register purchasing the earrings. 

"Aw, waiting for your friend, are you? Cute. Are you single?"

 _Straight to the point, isn't she?_ Ares thought, to which he responded shortly, "No. That guy there is my boyfriend."

The woman scowled, until she suddenly changed her expression to what Ares guessed was _supposed_ to be a seductive one. It looked more like she was nearly falling asleep while trying to imitate a fish. 

"I'm sure that _I_ could change your mind about your 'boyfriend,'" she said, putting "boyfriend" in quotation marks as if it was a fake term and not a perfectly normal thing in this day and age. 

Ares full-on laughed at that, which apparently caught Loki's attention, because he was out of the jewelry store within seconds, earrings in hand. 

"I'm finished shopping, love. Who is this?" 

The woman gave Loki a dirty look and laid a hand on Ares' shoulder. "He's _my_ boyfriend, and he doesn't deserve a dirty baby boy like _you_." 

Loki visibly stiffened at that, and Ares was about to step in when he noticed Loki was smiling at the woman, but not in his usual manner. This smile was more of a "you're going to get murdered" smile.

"Is that so? Ares, love, I was under the impression that we have been married for about two years. Don't tell me you've secretly been having flings behind my back, have you?"

"I'm not like my father," Ares replied, prying the woman's hand off his shoulder. "This woman just walked up to me and started sweet talking." 

The woman shook her head. "Not true. He called me here to get him away from you and your girly jewelry purchasing. Isn't that right, _darling_?" 

Loki hummed. "I see." 

Ares watched as Loki walked up to the woman so he was right in front of her, their noses nearly touching. It was quite disconcerting to see Loki get so confrontational. 

"Unfortunately for you, he is _not_ yours," he heard Loki mutter lowly, "and he never will be. You have no right to disrespect us like that, so leave us _alone_." 

The woman was obviously shocked, but quickly recovered and said, "That's simply not possible. He's too good for a boy like you." 

Loki turned back towards Ares, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him full on the mouth. This was nothing like they had ever done before, and Ares had a hunch that Loki was exaggerating it for dramatic effect, because Loki usually liked soft, feathery kisses. Ares leaned into the kiss, even putting his arms around Loki and lifting him into the air. He found that Loki tasted pleasantly of sweet candy. 

When they had to break apart, Loki stared into his eyes with an unnerving seriousness and said, "I think that's plenty of proof, isn't it love?"

"I think so, too," Ares agreed. "Hey, where did that lady go?"

The woman had disappeared, seemingly into thin air until he spotted her _very_ far away from them. He grinned.

"I'm sorry for kissing you so unexpectedly," Loki said. "I just wanted to put that woman in her place. She didn't have to judge us like that." 

"It's fine." Ares waved it off. "You're a good kisser, by the way." 

"Am I? I've never kissed like that before."

**4 - Tears**

Ares never cried.

Okay, maybe he did. But he'd only cried _one_ time!

Actually, maybe he'd cried two times. Once when he was a little kid and told that crying was a weakness, and once in the middle of the night while snuggled up with Loki. 

That night might have been the night his half-brother had gotten very sick and gone to the hospital, and that was what his nightmare was about. Perseus, surrounded by wires and tubes and beeping machines, all colored in white. The heart monitor was an ominous monster, showing each heartbeat that could be his last. 

All the time, Ares was surrounded by words. Words that accused _him_ of Perseus' sickness, saying that he had somehow infected him (he wasn't even sick) or that he had failed him by not being with him when the symptoms began to show. 

_Your sister was there, and she took care of him!  
_

_You are but a selfish man who doesn't even care for your own brother!_

_What kind of a man are you?_

_You should be ashamed of yourself!_

_You don't deserve love after what you've done!_

"Ares, wake up! Ares, love, wake up!" 

Loki was shaking him by the shoulders until Ares awoke with a sudden gasp and burst into tears.

_You should be ashamed of yourself! Loki doesn't want a husband that cries because of nightmares!_

He tried to hide it, because he couldn't let Loki see him be weak, but there was no hiding the tears that Loki was currently wiping away with his sleeve. Then Loki hugged Ares and let him cry into his shoulder, rubbing his back in soothing circles. 

"You were yelling, love," Loki said softly once Ares was a little calmer. "About Perseus. Are you okay with telling me what happened?" 

Ares sucked in a breath and shook his head. It was just a stupid dream, it didn't mean anything. 

"Okay. I'll bet you're tired, so let's lay down, alright? Try to rest. You'll feel just a bit better tomorrow, love." 

He laid a soft kiss on Ares' forehead, right between his eyebrows. 

"Thank you," Ares murmured weakly.

Loki let out a soft "heh." Then he said, "It'll be okay, Ares. I know what you're feeling must be hard, but I'm here for you."

**5 - Elegance**

"How do I look?" Loki asked, twirling a little in his suit. 

Ares studied him for a moment before saying, "Cute."

"You _always_ say that, love." Loki sighed. "I'm serious. My college is holding a fancy reunion dinner and I need to look nice." 

"I _am_ being serious. You look cute in everything. You're even wearing the turquoise earrings."

Loki smiled warmly at Ares. "You always notice the little details, at least. I appreciate that." 

He twirled around once more before looking at himself in the mirror and twirling a stray lock of hair around his finger. Then he checked his watch. 

"Nearly time to go," he noted aloud, and he made to leave the closet before suddenly stopping. "Wait, give me your hand." 

Ares raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"Just give me your hand, Ares." 

Ares held out his hand, and Loki kissed the back of it. 

"Oh, such a gentleman," Ares said, pretending to swoon, and Loki chuckled. "Good luck at the reunion. I know big crowds aren't your thing, so..."

"I think I'll be alright, love. But I'll call you if I need you." 

"Promise?" Ares didn't want Loki to be too overwhelmed to ask for help.

"I promise." 

**1 - Morning**

"Good morning, Loki," Ares said when Loki finally walked downstairs for breakfast. Ares was just about to leave for work, though he was still snacking on a piece of toast. 

"Will you be leaving soon?" Loki's sleep-clogged voice made him sound even sadder, and Ares had to smile a little. 

"Unfortunately yes. I'm sorry we can't have our breakfast together today."

Loki hummed as he tapped his fingers on the table, still not making a move to grab any food. "I miss you. You always work so hard, but you are so tired. Then you go on your phone and are tired still. I just want to see you more." 

Ares' heart ached at the raw sound or Loki's words. Call him crazy, but he thought that Loki sounded close to on tears. He knelt next to Loki's chair and titled his chin towards him. 

"Loki, I'm... I'm sorry. I want to see you more. Sometimes I don't want to work, I just want to stay home. I wish I wasn't so busy so I could be with you. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Loki whispered, though a tear fell down his cheek, and Ares wanted to cry too.

"Can I kiss you before I go?"

A nod.

He cupped Loki's face in his hands and pressed his lips on his. Loki's tasted slightly salty, like tears, and Ares felt another tear running down Loki's cheek.

_Loki, I'm so, so, so sorry._

When he had to pull away, Loki still looked miserable.

"You taste like buttered toast," he said softly. 


End file.
